


Shake Me

by boltschick2612



Series: When The Madness Stops... [2]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: First Love, First Time, M/M, Tampa Bay Lightning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-12
Updated: 2013-01-12
Packaged: 2017-11-25 06:28:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/636074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boltschick2612/pseuds/boltschick2612
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Be careful what you wish for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shake Me

**Author's Note:**

> Fiction-ey fiction.

June 5th, 2011

 Nate walks out of the bathroom of their hotel room, towel around his waist, to find Teddy standing by the window with the curtain pulled back and staring wistfully out to the Ireland country side.

"Man Teds, I still can't believe that bartender actually knew who we were!" Nate exclaimed, trying to pull Teddy's attention away from the window and the breathtaking view it was showing him. Teddy's gaze never strayed and he answered Nate in a tone of voice that was so devoid of any emotion, something that was so unlike Teddy, that it sent shivers down Nate's spine.

"I can't believe you let her flirt with you for free drinks."

One thing immediately comes to Nate's mind.  _Shit._

Nate and Teddy had decided to head to the local bar that night to cap off what was to be the last night of their five day trip to Ireland. The bar that was right across the street from their hotel room seemed like a good idea at the time, it was close enough for them to stumble back to their room without much problems and the patrons seemed friendly. Nate was shocked when the pretty female behind the bar recognized them instantly and struck up a conversation while sliding beers towards them. When the bartender's subtle flirting with Nate turned not-so-subtle, Nate shot a sideways glance in Teddy's direction to judge his reaction. For his part, Teddy just shrugged his shoulders and laughed, it seemed at the time that he wasn't at all perturbed by the jovial banter Nate was sharing with the woman.

Nate shuffled across the carpet to where Teddy was standing by the window and placed a hand on his shoulder. He could feel all the muscles in Teddy's body tense upon his touch. "I'm sorry Teds. I didn't think it was bothering you. I would have stopped if I knew....."

Teddy said nothing, simply stood there, clenching his jaw and debating wither to tell Nate what was really bothering him or just let Nate go on believing that he would be upset over something so trivial. He knew that accepting Nate's apology over a false faux pas would be the easy way out, but he also knew that if he wanted to make things work with Nate, he would have to he honest. And it wasn't that long ago that Teddy was making Nate promise not to hide anything from him. He knew he couldn't really impose something like that upon Nate if he couldn't even impose it upon himself. Teddy closed his eyes and let out an audible sigh before speaking.

"I wasn't worried about you trying to sleep with her. You don't seem that interested in sleeping with  _anyone._ "

Teddy never broke his fixed gaze out the window, he knew that if he had to look Nate in the eyes that he would immediately feel like an jerk. He knew his words were harsh, but that was how he felt. Even the fact that he was hurt over Nate's perceived disinterest in taking their relationship to the next level, the entire reason they came here, made Teddy feel like an unbelievable ass.

The day after the team's playoff ending loss in Boston, Nate and Teddy were already back in Tampa, making plans for their trip to Ireland. The trip during which they had agreed to take their relationship to the next level, the physical level.

The first day they had arrived was mostly spent sleeping in an attempt to adjust to the 5 hour time difference. At first, they lay in their separate beds and later in the day, Nate had moved into Teddy's bed while he lay asleep and slipped his arm around his waist. Teddy was pleasantly surprised to wake that night and find Nate laying next to him, Nate's face buried in his neck. Teddy was too tired and too content with Nate's mere presence by his side to try to escalate things in bed, instead he just lay there, listening to Nate's breathing and enjoying the cool breeze that was pushing past the chiffon curtains and through the very window he was now peering out.

They were both awoken on the second day early in the morning by the sun streaming through the curtains and the noises of the street below them. Teddy nudged Nate gently and scooted closer to him on the bed in order to lay small kisses on Nate's neck, taking a break in between kisses to whisper in his ear.

"I say we spend all day in bed."

 

Nate slowly opened his eyes aganist the sun. A small smile crept across his face, despite the early hour and headache that had wrapped itself around his brain.

"As tired as I am now, I don't think I want to waste another day here sleeping. Too much to see and do." Nate said, and gently kissed Teddy's nose. Altough this action made Teddy's heart flutter, he scrunched up his nose and gave Nate a look as if they were both ten years old and Nate had cooties.

"Well, that's perfect...because sleeping isn't what I had in mind."

Nate dodged the matter by poking at Teddy's foot with his own and sending a whispered plea into his ear. "Please, Teds? I really want to go look around."

Teddy let the subject drop after that, he didn't want to push Nate into anything. He had been the one being pressured before and he didn't want Nate's first time with him to be something done out of guilt or obligation.

They enjoyed their day of sight seeing, and when they returned to the hotel room that night, Teddy decided to try his luck one more time, but it seemed his luck had run out. When he had stepped out of the shower and into the room, Nate was already sound asleep in the bed that they had shared the previous night.Teddy just sighed and pulled back the covers before crawling in bed and wrapping his arms around Nate to enjoy another night of holding Nate close to him.

The third and fourth days had continued much as the first two had, Teddy dropping subtle and not so subtle hints, and Nate acting willfully oblivious. It started to seem to Teddy that Nate was doing it on purpose, and with every dodged flirtation or touch, Teddy's frustration grew. It wasn't the fact that Nate seemingly didn't want to sleep with him, but more the simple fact that if Nate wasn't interested, Teddy just expected him to say so. Teddy never was one with very much patience for mind games, and the vulnerable position that he put himself in with Nate by outing himself and agreeing to this romantic trip only served to exasperbate his insecurties and paranoia.

By the fifth day, Teddy was almost entirely convinced that Nate would no longer want to have nothing to do with him once they were back to Tampa and they were no longer forced to be around each other. When Nate had suggested that they spend the final night enjoying some pints and the company of the local patrons, Teddy was slightly excited for the opportunity to dull the feeling of rejection with alcohol.

The night had gone pretty smoothly, actually, until the moment that Nate stepped out of the shower to the sight of Teddy staring out the window. When Nate started to quip about the flirtatious bartender, Teddy felt that he could remain quite no longer.

Teddy's words to Nate, the ones about him seemingly not wanting to sleep with anyone, cut Nate to the core and he stood there shocked and at a loss for words. His mind was reeling as he stared holes into Teddy's back and tried to come up with something to say, but nothing his mind could compose seemed adaquite. Nate relinquished his attempts rectify the situation and just moved to the bed opposite the one that he and Teddy had been spending the last four nights in. As he pulled back the covers and started to crawl into the warm cocoon of the thick comforter, he knew he couldn't just leave things the way they were. It wasn't that he didn't want to sleep with Teddy, because every fiber in his being knew that he did, it was just....

"I'm scared. Scared I won't live up to your expectations. That I wouldn't be as good as all the other men you've been with."

Nate said all this while still staring at Teddy's back, hoping he would turn around and look at him so that they could have this conversation face to face. Nate wasn't sure if Teddy's next actions were in reaction to what he just said, or if some part of Teddy secretly knew what Nate wanted, but he turned and locked eyes with him for what seemed like the first time all night. The look on Teddy's face was one of slight amusement and impatience.

"All ? Just so you know...there's only been two."

Nate wasn't sure why, but Teddy's words surprised him. "Really?" Nate asked wide eyed. He threw the pillow he had been holding back onto the bed, and watched Teddy slip into a defensive stance before answering the question that was posed to him.

"Yup. One almost serious relationship with someone when I was in college, and one very serious relationship with one of my Kings team mates."

This time Nate knew why Teddy's answer shocked him. Nate had never really asked about Teddy's past relationships, and Teddy never volunteered any information, but for some reason Nate had always assumed that he was the first team mate that Teddy had ever dated. As irrational as he knew it was, Nate felt a momentary pang of jealousy mixed with sadness over the fact that he wasn't the first one Teddy felt bold enough to attempt a interteam relationship with. There was also another feeling below the surface, a slight feeling of curiosity over who else might be going through some of the same hardships they were.

"Really? Who?"

Teddy let out a little chuckle and moved closer to where Nate was now sitting on the bed, bridging the metaphorical and physical gap that had been growing between them. Teddy's keen insight into the human psyche, especially Nate's, told him exactly what Nate was trying to do. "Uh-un. Nope. Nice try though."

"Sorry. I was-" Nate started to say while lowering his head, half in shame and half in defeat.

"-deflecting?" Teddy finished for Nate while offering him a slight smile.

"Yeah. Man, maybe you should have went into psychiatry instead of hockey." How well Teddy really knew him, sometimes better than he even knew himself, never ceased to amaze Nate. He was so entrenched in this thought that he almost missed the look that played across Teddy's face at his statement.

 Teddy never really flourished as a player until he got to Tampa, and during one late night spent drinking and conversing, Teddy revealed to Nate that he still had some lingering confidence issues from his less than stellar years with the Kings. Although Nate had no intentions of hurting Teddy, it felt to him as though he had just betrayed a confidence and used that information against him.

"Shit. That came out totally wrong, Teds. I didn't mean it like that. You know I would never... 

Nate let his voice trail off, he could see the tears starting to work their way to the corners of Teddy's eyes and he thought it best to let the subject drop, at least for now. He simply let out a loud sigh and stood up to close the rest of the distance between Teddy and himself, wrapping his arms around Teddy and pulling him close to him. All the nights thoughts and uneasiness vanished from Teddy's mind as he let Nate hold him. The warmth of the embrace found its way to Teddy's heart, and as much as he wanted to stay wrapped in Nate's arms all night, he knew that reality had other plans.

"Don't worry about it, Nate. We really do need to get to sleep though. Plane leaves early tomorrow."

Nate elevated himself onto his tip toes to plant a small kiss on Teddy's forehead before looking him intently in the eyes and speaking.

"Ok. But just promise me that we won't go to bed mad at each other. Not now, not ever."

A small smile creeps to Teddy's lips as he says "Are you mad at me?"

"Nope. Are you mad at me?" Nate asks, turning Teddy's question back onto him. Teddy hesitated for a few minutes, even cocked his head to the side and let out a skeptic "Mayyyybe..." causing Nate to playfully slap him on the arm.

"Good, now that that's settled, it's bed time," Nate said and started to move to the twin bed which had remained unoccupied during their entire trip to Ireland.

"Excuse me? Where do you think you're going?" Teddy asked, and grabbed Nate by the wrist in an effort to stop his movements towards the bed. Teddy pulled him gently until they were once again face to face, except this time it was Nate that was wrapped in Teddy's arms. Their lips met, and they fell into bed without ever breaking the embrace.

 

                                                                                                          -X- 

 

Nate awoke several hours later to find the spot next to him in the bed cold and empty. He blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to adjust them the to dark, only to discover that the room wasn't all that dark. The cool Ireland air was sweeping through the room and lights from the street below illuminated the surroundings, signaling to Nate's brain that the balcony doors were open. Nate sat up in bed, trying to clear the cobwebs from his mind, and peered in the direction of the the open doors. As Nate noticed Teddy standing outside on the balcony, leaning against the railing, he thought  
how the moonlight playing on Teddy's pale skin made him look like an angel. Nate slipped out of bed and padded across the thick carpet to join Teddy outside. The sound of Nate's approach caught Teddy's attention, and as soon as he saw Nate, his eyes lit up and and a wide smile played across his face.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

Nate didn't answer, just went to Teddy and placed one hand on his hip, weaving his fingers through Teddy's hair with the other. He pulled Teddy's face to his, pressing their lips together and taking Teddy's lower lip in between his teeth. Teddy let out a sound that was somewhere in the spectrum of shock and pleasure, his heart pounding at Nate's bold greeting. Nate broke the kiss and slipped his hands below the waistband of Teddy's sweats, all the while staring intently onto his eyes, still not speaking. Teddy's eyes slid shut as he basked in the warm pleasure being caused at Nate's hand. A low moan escaped Teddy and his eyes flicked open just brief enough to notice Nate's face hovering just centimeters above his own, the two of them seemingly sharing the same breath. Nate stopped all motions and pulled away, leaving Teddy longing for his touch again.

"Nate, please....." Teddy whimpered. Nate took Teddy's hands into his own, and used the leverage to help lower himself until his knees met the hard concrete of the balcony floor. As he slid Teddy's sweat pants down, a thought briefly flicked through Nate's mind about just how uncomfortable the floor was underneath him, and just as soon as the thought appeared, he pushed it aside and decided that he didn't care. Remaining silent as he had done since the moment he walked onto the balcony, Nate wrapped his lips around Teddy, letting his mouth take over the job his hand had abandoned moments earlier. The tip of his tongue drew lazy circles, alternating pressure and pattern. Teddy threw his head back and let out a moan as his hands tightly grabbed the wrought iron railing that he had been leaning against. It took a few seconds for the haze to break and for Teddy to notice that Nate had momentarily stopped what he was doing. When he looked down, Nate was staring up at him with a shark's grin, and it was almost as Nate could read Teddy's mind as he speaks for the first time since stalking onto the balcony.

"No, you're not dreaming." Nate slowly gets up and grabs Teddy's wrist, leading him inside. "In here. We've already put on enough of a show."

Teddy can't get over how surreal this all is, just a few hours ago he was thinking that Nate didn't want to have anything to do with him, now it seemed as if Nate couldn't get enough of him. As he led Teddy towards the bed, Nate managed to shed himself of his clothing before stopping to let Teddy do the same. He stood there, without uttering any words, and just stared at Teddy. 

"What?" Teddy asked. He wasn't sure what Nate was waiting for, then it occurred to him that he wanted him to undress. He quickly discarded his clothing, and was struck by the sudden uncertainty of what to do next.

Teddy knew it wasn't the first time he had done this, far from it, but usually the other guys were the ones taking the lead and he was just content to follow. He had never been the one with the most experience, never the one calling the shots. All he needed was one look at Nate's naked form to know exactly what to do. He quickly stalked towards Nate, grabbing his arm and gently pushing him down onto the bed. His own body followed, landing on top of Nate and wasting no time planting kisses everywhere that he could reach, starting with Nate's lips before moving to his chest, side, and thigh. Nate reached down and wove his fingers through Teddy's hair, moaning at the sensations coursing through him.

"Come here, Teds."

Teddy stopped his gentle kisses and snaked his body up Nate's, making sure that every inch of their bare skin was touching along the way. When he was face to face with Nate again, he started laying kisses on Nate's neck while at the same time caressing the heat in between his muscled thighs, making it near impossible for Nate to think, let alone speak. However, Nate managed to let a few words escape in between gasps.

"That's not why... I know what you want."

Nate shifted his body under Teddy's, turning until he was pinned face down onto the mattress under the weight of the man on top of him.

"I'm ready, just...please go slow." Nate looks back at Teddy, who had taken to gently biting the back of his neck. As soon as Teddy hears Nate's words, he stops dead and pulls away.

"Nate, you know I would never hurt you but...I wasn't about to make you...do that...your first time."

Teddy doesn't know why he has so much trouble saying the words, but he immediately feels ashamed that Nate would think that he was selfish enough to put him in such a position at such a vulnerable time, simply for his own comfort. Nate slightly turns again so that he can look Teddy in the eyes as he sends him a whispered plea.

"Please. I want it to be like this. I want you to own my body as well as my heart."

Teddy couldn't stop the lump from forming in his throat,and he fought back the tears at Nate's declaration. He leaned down to Nate and whispered in his ear. "You are so beautiful. Tell me if I..."

"I will."

"But don't you want something to..." Teddy starts to say before Nate breathlessly interrupts him again.

"No. Just like this."

Teddy continues his interrupted barrage of kisses, slowly sliding his hand down Nate's back and lightly trailing his fingers into the valley of Nate's ass. He continued for a few more moments, nipping at Nate's ear and listening to his haggard breaths until he thought that Nate had grown accustomed to his manipulations. Teddy finally pulled away, and Nate looked back to him with his heart pounding, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he knew what was coming next. He slowly thrust into Nate, pausing every few seconds, searching for any signs that Nate wanted him to stop. The only response he got where a few curse words leaked through gritted teeth.

"Shit. Teds, don't stop. Fuck."

As the seconds wore on and the volume of Nate's pleas increased, so did Teddy's tempo, and with each thrust he was surprised that he hadn't come completely unraveled. He then reached in between Nate and the mattress, using his hand to make sure that Nate wasn't left wanting. His actions stopped the flow of words from Nate and replaced them with moans. Teddy lost all track of time, he was unsure if it had been seconds or hours, space and time vanished and all that was left was him and Nate.

"I love you."

Those whispered words, sent from Teddy's mouth and into Nate's ear, dissolved all of Nate's self control. Nate's whole body tenses as he rides the waves of his release, sending Teddy right over the edge with him. Moments later, when they've both caught their breath and escaped the endorphin induced haze, Teddy is laying facing Nate, mapping a finger over his chest.

"Why did we wait so long to do this?" Nate asks with a smile on his face.

Teddy laughed and shrugged. "Good things come to those who wait?"

Nate planted a small kiss on Teddy's nose and inched his body closer, burrowing his face in Teddy's chest.

"Do you think anyone will notice if we stay here forever?"

 

  
July 3rd, 2011

 

Nate's flight wasn't supposed to get in from Minnesota until around nine in the morning, but Teddy had been waiting in his car in the airport parking garage, alternating between napping and boredom, since six that morning. He was so excited to have Nate back from his trip that he wanted to be sure to be at Tampa International Airport as soon as the plane's wheels touched the tarmac. Almost as soon as they had both returned from their trip to the majestic countryside of Ireland, Nate had jumped right back on a plane to go visit his family in Alaska. He was to stay there for a couple weeks, and then make the trip on over to Minnesota to visit some old friends before heading back to Tampa for the rest of the summer.

It was around eight am when Teddy finally decided to leave the cramped space of his car to go mill around the shops in the airport while waiting for Nate to arrive. He found himself spending most of the time in the Airport's Gift Shop, trying to find something he could get as a welcome home present for Nate. As he wandered the aisles aimlessly, scanning through the rack that contained greeting cards, nothing really jumped out at him.

He wondered over to the self on the wall that contained children's toys and almost immediately Teddy began to wonder what he was doing even looking through stuffed animals and coloring books for a present intended for a grown man, a hockey player none the less. And that's when it caught his eye. The perfect present, although somewhat cheesy, was peering at Teddy from behind a stuffed Hello Kitty doll. Teddy reached up to grab it off the shelf and caught a glimpse of his watch. It read eight fifty five am.

"Shit," Teddy murmured under his breath and raced to the front check out.

 

                                                                                                       -X- 

   
Teddy looked like a 5 year old that desperately needed to use the bathroom with the way he was almost jumping up and down, fidgeting. He had always seen hockey players fidget, seemingly jumping out their own skin, while standing at the bench or center ice during the National Anthem and waiting for the game to begin. He never understood their anxiousness, until now. They were waiting for the "main event", the need to be involved in what they came there for making them unable to remain still. He was standing as close to the entrance to the terminal as Airport Security would allow, while at the same time watching the people that were arriving from their destinations file through the entrance to meet with their significant others and families.

Teddy tightened his grip on the purple bag that contained the present he had bought from the Airport Gift Shop. At first he thought the present was the perfect mixture of silliness and significance. Now, he wasn't so sure.  
Now, it just felt silly. His heart started to pound as a fresh group of travelers made their way into the terminal. He craned his neck, trying to see to the back of the loosely formed line, searching for the familiar face of his boyfriend, searching for his smile and the air of confidence that he exuded at all times.

The crowd had started to thin, and it looked like the last of the group had filed off the plane. When Teddy saw that Nate was not among this group, his heart sank. Was the plane late? Did Nate just decide to say 'the hell with this life' and stay in Minnesota?

Teddy would be anxious to have Nate back under any normal circumstances, but this whole trip that Nate took was not normal, and that added to Teddy's apprehension. After many civil, and some not so civil, discussions on the matter, Nate had agreed that while in Alaska visiting his family for the off season that he was going to tell his parents all about Teddy and their relationship together.

Then after that, Nate was off to Minnesota to visit a childhood friend...a childhood friend that had been Nate's girlfriend as recently as 3 years ago. Teddy knew Cristin well and knew that she and Nate had remained friends after their breakup, and normally he wouldn't feel threatened by her presence in Nate's life, but given the recent apprehension that Nate had displayed about being in a relationship with another man and making it known, Teddy's paranoia was in full swing.

By the time that the last of the passengers had made their way into the terminal, Teddy was convinced that upon hearing that their son was involved with a man, Nate's family forbade him from returning to Florida. Or worse yet, that Nate's insecurities had convinced him that staying in Minnesota and "playing house" with Cristin was a far better plan than being with a gay hockey player in Florida.

Teddy's resolve was just started to melt, threatening to leave him nothing more than a sobbing mess curled into the fetal position on the dirty airport floor, when he heard a familiar voice coming from behind him.

"Awww...Did you get me a present, Teds?" Teddy spun around and came face to face with a smiling Nate Thompson.

"How did you....? I was looking for you the whole time!" Teddy asked bewildered.

"They changed our gate number at the last minute. Sorry I didn't update you, but I kinda wanted to surprise you anyways!"

Teddy stood there for a full 2 minutes just staring at Nate, taking in his appearance. He looked good, damn good, Teddy thought to himself. It took all of Teddy's control not to grab Nate and shove his tongue into Nate's eagerly awaiting mouth, onlookers be damned.

"Well, what did you get me?" Nate said, breaking through Teddy's thoughts and grabbing at the purple bag that Teddy was holding, almost in a death grip.

"Not here. Let's go get your bags and get you home," Teddy said, smiling for the first time all day.

"Home..." Nate purred. "I like the sound of that. I've been away from you too long."

  
                                                                                                    -X-  
  


"Tell me all about the trip," Teddy ordered as they were standing outside of the elevator bank in the terminal waiting for an elevator to take them to the parking garage. They had already collected Nate's suitcases and were starting to make their way to the garage.

"Well, Alaska was nice. Very beautiful this time of year.." Nate started when he was interrupted by the ding signaling that the elevator has arrived at their floor. The elevator doors slid open and they both stepped in. Teddy pushed the button for the 6th floor, looked at Nate, and put on a sly smile before saying "I parked on the 6th level...only car up there."

Nate instantly knew what Teddy was implying and he looked back at Teddy with a smile of his own. The elevator doors slid closed in front of them and without any words, Nate and Teddy both drop the bags they were holding onto the floor. Nate pushed Teddy up against the back wall of the elevator and grabbed the back of his neck to pull Teddy closer to him. He meets Teddy's lips with his and kisses him hungrily, nipping at Teddy's lower lip before pulling away for a brief moment to say "I missed you so much."

Teddy reached down to feel Nate through the front of his pants and said "I can tell", causing a low pitched moan to escape from Nate. "I love to hear you moan" Teddy says smiling before lowering his head to meet Nate's lips with his own, parting Nate's lips with his tongue, pushing past his teeth. The elevator abruptly came to a halt at the 4th floo, startling them both, and they pulled away from each other like two teens that had just been caught making out in the basement.

"You may have to wait a little bit to hear it again," Nate said quietly. The elevator doors opened and an elderly couple stepped inside. They turned with thier backs to Nate and Teddy, and therefore missed the knowing glances that they cast each others way.

Nate and Teddy stepped out of the elevator and into the empty 6th level of the parking garage. During the elevator trip between the 4th and 6th level, Nate had mostly caught Teddy up to speed on this trip, since he couldn't do what he was so sure they both wanted him to do.

They made their way to the car, the only one on that level, just as Teddy promised. Teddy used the remote on the key fob to pop open the trunk and unlock the car doors. Nate threw his bags in the trunk and slammed it shut while Teddy opened the  
drivers side door and threw the purple gift bag in the back seat before sliding into the driver's seat. Nate slid in the front passenger seat, looked at Teddy with all the expression of a kid on Christmas and asked "Now can I have my present?"

"Sure."

Teddy smiled and climbed awkwardly out of his seat and into Nate's lap, straddling Nate, his knees resting on either side of Nate's hips. He moved as close to Nate as the cramped confines of the front seat would allow, and started to kiss Nate, running his hand through his hair, relishing in the feeling of Nate's body so close to his. Nate bucks up against Teddy, causing Teddy to moan into his mouth. Teddy reached down and started to fumble with Nate's belt buckle when Nate stopped him.

"Want to wait until we get home,"  Nate managed in between gasps.

Teddy moved so that his mouth is just centimeters from Nate's ear and whispered "Why not both?" while starting to work on Nate through his pants. Nate's panting reverberates through the small car and Teddy can feel Nate's breath against his cheek. Teddy moved his hands up Nate's shirt, lightly trailing his fingers up the muscles of his chest. Nate uses his mouth's proximity to Teddy's neck to his advantage, lightly biting and nipping at his neck.

"I'm so glad you told them. You did that for me, Thank you," Teddy whispered, his mouth still hovering above Nate's ear. Nate stop planting kisses and bites on Teddy's neck and gently pushed Teddy back off of him, looking down past Teddy to stare at the dirty car floor. Teddy saw the look on Nate's face and immediately knew what thoughts were going through Nate's mind. He then leaned back to look Nate straight in the eyes.

"You didn't tell them...did you?"

Nate said nothing, just continued to stare at the floor, shame burning in his chest. He finally looks up at the sound of the car door swinging open and he feels Teddy's weight shift off of him as Teddy climbs out of the car. He jumped out of the car to yell to Teddy, who's already making his way to the elevators.

"Where are you going, Teds?"

"I'm taking a cab back home. I'll be by your house later to pick up my car," Teddy yells back, his voice bouncing off the concrete walls. Nate let out a loud sigh, utterly mad at himself for messing things up, yet again.

Nate slumped back down into the passenger seat of Teddy's car, his stomach in knots. He reached his hand up and shakily ran it through his hair. He was just about to slide to the driver's seat when something purple in the back seat caught his eye. It was the present that Teddy had bought for him. He reached in the back to grab the bag and started fishing around in the bag for his present. He finally finds it, his fingers coming into contact with it's soft fur. Nate's throat clenched and his eyes started to water as he pulls a stuffed teddy bear out of the bag.

  
                                                                                                      -X-

 

Teddy was already in bed when Nate walked into the front door of Teddy's house. The lights were out, casting the room in darkness, echoing how Nate felt. He was standing right outside the door to Teddy's room,deciding what to do when his thoughts were broken by Teddy's voice.

"Nate, just get in here."

Nate slowly opened the door and stepped into the room, still clutching the bear that Teddy had bought for him. Teddy's voice cuts through the darkness.

"Sit."

Teddy felt the the side of the bed he's laying on sink in as Nate sits, as instructed.

"Nate, I'm sorry. I forgot how hard it can be to admit things like this to people. My family was incredibly understanding, and I take it for granted that everyone's situation is like mine. It's hard, and I know it's hard. I need to remember that"

Nate held up the bear, shaking it in front of Teddy's face and says "Thanks for the bear."

Teddy laughed and said "It's a Teddy Bear...get it?"

Nate laughed back and felt the bed move as Teddy sat up behind him, resting his chin on Nate's shoulder.

"Take all the time you need, ok?" Teddy whispered into Nate's ear.

"Thanks...I love you."

"I love you too...now get your ass in bed," Teddy says while wrapping his arms around Nate's waist and dragging him down onto the bed.

 

  
August 15th, 2011

"He's on his final hole. He's about 455 yards away, he's gonna hit about a 2 iron I think," Nate said while standing feet away from Teddy, who is currently posed in golfing stance, eyes intense with concentration.

"Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters Champion. It looks like a mirac... It's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole!" Nate continued laughing, drawing an evil look from Teddy.

Nate had joined Teddy in Newfoundland for a few days to participate in the Teddy Purcell/Ryan Clowe Charity Golf Tournament. Right now, Teddy was preparing to take a swing and trying to remember if it was the 5th or 6th hole he was currently at. He had lost track of how many golf balls he had hit a long time ago, and now he was just trying to muddle through the best he could while wishing that him and Nate were far away from cold, windy Newfoundland. Teddy could almost feel the warm sun beating on his shoulders as he imagined sitting on the beach in Hawaii with Nate, drinking Coronas and laughing. Maybe then he would be in a better mood and find Nate far less annoying.

Teddy stared Nate down and said "Nate, will you PLEASE stop quoting 'CaddyShack' when I'm trying to play? This is for charity!"

"Sorry, grumpy pants. Wouldn't want to take money out of the children's mouths," Nate laughed and added "Or something like that."

Teddy finally swung his club, sending the golf ball high into the air and right into a sand trap.

"Shit", Teddy murmured under his breath, and started walking to the sand trap where the ball lay.

"You know, the sound of a hockey stick hitting the puck wins over the sound of the club hitting the golf ball. Always," Teddy said while looking at Nate out of the corner of his eye.

"What has you in such a bad mood, Teds? You've been looking forward to this trip for months..." Nate stopped dead in his tracks, but Teddy continued walking. When Nate saw that Teddy wasn't going to stop his trek to the sand trap to answer his question, Nate started running to catch up. When he finally got to where Teddy was, Teddy gave Nate his answer, but not before looking around to make sure that there was no one else in ear shot.

"Sorry. I guess it's all this cold, rainy weather. I should be used to it, but I guess Florida has spoiled me. I promised you a nice vacation....."

"It's nice here, Teds. Well, I mean the weather isn't nice....but the scenery is....and I'm having fun," Nate smiled and put his hand on Teddy's shoulder.

"You are?" Teddy asked while letting a small smile creep out of the corner of his mouth.

"Yep. And I saw some trees back there that could provide a nice hiding place if you wanted to add to the fun," Nate said while putting on his best seductive smile, he knew it got to Teddy every time. A thoughtful look played on Teddy's face, almost as if he were considering Nate's words. Nate thought he had Teddy hook, line, and sinker until  the thoughtful look disappeared from Teddy's face and he brought his hand up to look at his watch.

"No time. We're supposed to be at my parents in a few hours for dinner."

"Dinner? I don't remember any dinner plans." Nate's heart started racing at the thought of meeting Teddy's parents. It's wasn't that Nate expected them to be anything other than the kind and loving people that Teddy had always described them as, it was more the simple fact that he had never met them before.

Adding to Nate's apprehension was the fact that the topic of Nate's own family was bound to come up at some point in the night, and Nate wasn't exactly looking forward to trying to explain to Teddy's parents exactly why his own family was uninformed about the relationship he shared with their son.

"That's because you  were too busy trying to get me out of my pants while I was busy on the phone, trying to make plans for this trip!" Teddy said, trying his best to keep his voice down.

Teddy's comment brought Nate's mind back to that day that he had walked into the living room to find Teddy on the phone and decided that Teddy looked far too stressed, and proceeded to drop to his knees in front of him in an attempt to elevate his mood.

"That was fun. Remind me to try that again some time," Nate said smiling.

"Oh, don't worry, I will. Just not while I'm on the phone with my parents next time." Teddy reached down and plucked the golf ball out of the sand pit. He started to throw the ball back onto the green when Nate grabbed his hand to stop him.

"Nope. Play it as it lies," Nate instructs. Teddy knew Nate was joking, but he shot him an icey glare none the less.

"Fine. Have it your way. You always do anyways," Teddy said while dropping the ball back into the sand, the ball almost landing in the exact same spot in which it had landed when Teddy shot it. He poked the ball with the toe of his shoe a few times before raising his golf club high above his head, slipping into golfing stance, and swinging to hit the ball. The only difference between now and the previous times Teddy had done this today was now he purposefully missed the ball and angled his body to face where Nate was standing, sending a spray of loose sand onto Nate's hair, face, and clothes.

They both erupted into laughter that can be heard throughout the golf course.

  

                                                                                             -X- 

 

Nate and Teddy arrived at the hotel that night a little after sunset and while Teddy was hoping to sneak in a quick nap before having to make his way to his parents, it looked as if they were not going to have enough time. Teddy walked into the hotel room and tossed his duffle bag onto the bed, Nate following closely behind him.

"I'm going to jump in the shower....since someone decided to throw sand at me," Nate said while stripping off his shirt and making his way to the bathroom. Teddy grabbed Nate's wrist as he passed him on the way to the bathroom.

"Not so fast," Teddy says smiling, already imagining what was to come.

"I'm not going to your parent's house with sand in my crack." Nate pulled his hand away from Teddy's grip.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic Nate. There's no sand in your ass....although you wouldn't know it by the way you were acting."

Teddy turned back to dig through his duffel bag and let Nate retreat to the bathroom, all the while pouting. Not more than two minutes had passed before Teddy heard Nate's voice flowing from the bathroom.

"I can hear you pouting. Get in here, will ya?"

 

                                                                                                       -X- 

 

Teddy reached out and pushed the doorbell, sending a high pitched chime throughout his childhood home. Nate and him had arrived a few minutes later than planned, due to certain impromptu shower activities. Nate moved to hide behind Teddy as he heard footsteps leading up to the front door, almost acting scared.

"Nate...did you really just hide?"

Teddy never did get an answer because as soon as Nate  opened his mouth to speak, the front door to the house swung open and a very tall, slender woman with dark hair and a welcoming face stepped forward to embrace her son.

"Hi, pickle! So happy to see you! It's been way too long!" Teddy's mom exclaimed while standing on tip toes and peering over her son's shoulder to the man standing behind him. Mary Lynn Purcell broke the hug she was sharing with her son and extended a hand to Nate, who was still cowering a little behind Teddy.

"Nate! I've heard so much about you! Welcome...I hope you're hungry, I made a big dinner!"

Nate's demeaner became a little more extroverted after a few minutes in Mary Ann's presence, she really was a kind woman and Nate could see where Teddy got his warm personality from, along with his appearence. If Nate had never met this woman a day in his life, he still would have known that she was a close relation to Teddy with the features they shared. That, along with her friendly personality, made Nate feel like he had known her for ages, and he instantly became more at ease.

"Actually, I am. We spent all afternoon golfing and well...your son really did a number on me!"

Nate inwardly cringed as he realized how his comment about the hard afternoon of golfing could easily be misconstrued, and he stood there for a few seconds praying that Teddy's mom would let this one slide. Nate was about to turn around and race back to the car in embarassment when Mary Ann's voice broke the silence.

"Relax, dear. I knew exactly what you meant. Now, I do believe Nate said he was hungry. Pickle, would you bring the bags in?"

Mary Ann stepped back through the doorway, motioning for Nate and Teddy to join her inside. They both stepped out of the heat and into the cool air of the house. As they both followed Teddy's mom inside and through the living room, Nate leaned over and whispered into Teddy's ear, trying to stifle his laughter.

"Pickle?"

Teddy shot Nate an icey glare and narrowed his eyes. "Shutup."

 

                                                                                                     -X-

 

Nate stared at the dinner table in amazement, he couldn't remember ever seeing that much food having been prepared for a simple dinner. It seemed to him that there was even more dishes here than his family had during special occasions such as Christmas and Easter. There were colorful glass dishes containing potatoes, turnips, pease pudding, a whole turkey, and salt meat spread out before him. There was some kind of meat on a blue glass platter that Nate didn't recongnise, and just as he was about to meekly ask what it was, Teddy pointed to it with a grin on his face.

"You have to try the pork tongue, Nate."

 

 _"Pork...tongue? The only kind of tongue I like in my mouth is my own...or-"_  Nate's thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Teddy's father.

"Well, dig in boys. You know your mom won't be happy until all the food is gone," Ted Purcell said, gesturing to the magnificant spread of food on the table. Nate and Teddy quickly piled thier plates with food, Nate going for the more recongnizable foods and steering clear of the pork tongue while Teddy helped himself to large portions of everything that was on the table. Silence filled the room for a few minutes as everyone made thier plates and started into their food. The patriarch of the household decided to start the conversation.

"So, Edward...how are things down there in Florida? Still enjoying it?"

Teddy shot Nate a glance that said "don't you dare make fun of my real name" before answering the question posed to him by his father. "Very much, I love it there."

Nate had found Teddy's father to be just as welcoming and open as his mother had been. Upon meeting Nate, he offered him a hearty slap on the back as if they were old friends. Ted Purcell was a bit taller than his son, and a lot more heavy set. His face was kind, his hair dark like the rest of the family's.

"When do you boys play the Capitals again? Your father and I were thinking about going down to Florida, and I wanted to see one of your games."

Nate couldn't help but notice how Teddy's mother seemed to be addressing them both when she mentioned "your father and I". Nate had never been included in such a manner by any of his girlfriend's families in the past, and it took him a little by surprise. It seemed as if Teddy's parents had decided that he was family from the second they met him and he didn't know if it was just thier personality, or owed to some outside force, such as Teddy's persuasion.

"I'm not sure, mom. I'll have to let you know. Did you become a Caps fan all of the sudden?" Teddy said laughing.

Mary Ann shrugged her shoulders and laughed. "What? I like Ovechkin!"

Teddy's dad burst into laughter. "Sorry, boys. I got your mom the Center Ice package, and she's been watching all the games, all day long."

There it was again. The manner of speaking that included Nate as part of the family, and he found that it warmed his heart. To come into someone's house and be welcomed as part of the family just because you're dating thier son...

....And Nate's heart started to pound. How could he have forgotten the entire reason he was there, even if it was only for a few seconds? The apprehension Nate felt on the front doorstep returned, and Nate desperatley started to hope that the dinner conversation won't turn to the subject of his own family, or the lack of their knowledge on what he shared with Teddy. After how nice and welcoming Teddy's family had been to him, how could he possibly explain to these people that he had been too scared to admit to his family that Teddy was his boyfriend? Nate knew that there was no explanation that would suffice. Nate was pulled back to reality by the voice of Mary Ann.

"And that Malkin kid, too. I like him." She let out a little giggle, and Teddy just rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Since when did you have a thing for Russians, Mar?" Teddy's dad asks laughing and even gives his wife a slight poke in the side.

"Since you got me Center Ice, it's all your fault! Oh, and speaking of the Penguins, Edward..." 

Teddy rolled his eyes once more and quickly interrupted his mother's train of thought. "Do we have to?"

"Yes, because I want to know about Crosby..." Mary Ann says and slaps her son's hand playfully.

"What about him?" Teddy asks, genuinley confused.

"Is he..."

Teddy stares at his mom for a few seconds, trying to figure out what she's implying, and then it hits him. "MOM! I don't know! That's none of my business!"

Teddy glances at Nate out of the corner of his eye to see him half heartedly poking at his potatoes and desperatley looking as if he wanted to be somewhere else, anywhere else.

"And it's none of ours, either. You'll have to forgive your mom, boys. Sometimes she forgets hockey is a sport and not a soap opera," Teddy's dad said while pushing back the chair and standing up from the table, plates in hand. "I'll get the dessert."   
  
Teddy and his mom chat for a few minutes while Teddy's dad is in the kitchen, but Nate pays them no mind. He sits there in silence, eyes glued to his plate as if it held all the answers to his problems. He continued to push the food around his plate, smashing the chunks of potatoes, stabbing at the chicken with his fork. It took a few seconds for his brain to register that Mary Ann was talking to him.

"Are you not hungry, dear?"

Nate looked up bewildered, unaware that he had barely eaten his food. "Oh, sorry. Guess I was deep in thought. The food is wonderful."

Nate offered Teddy's mom a smile and started shoveling the food in his mouth. He didn't want to insult Teddy's parents by leaving them with the impression that he didn't appreciate their cooking. Besides, his cowardice had already insulted them enough.

 

                                                                                                        -X-

  
After dinner, Teddy's mom had showed Nate and Teddy to the room where they would be staying for the night. It was Teddy's old bedroom, and it was still adorned with all of Teddy's school awards and hockey trophies. Nate had assumed that Teddy's parents would have him stay in the guest room, away from Teddy for the night, and he was shocked when Mary Ann suggested they both stay in a  bedroom that was equiped with only a single twin bed. Mary Ann stopped right in front of the doorway and offered her son a kiss on the forehead before embracing Nate in a hug.

"Good night, boys. No pillow fighting."

They could both hear her laughing as she made her way back downstairs.

 

                                                                                                    -X-

  
Nate lay in the uncomfortable, small bed with his head resting on Teddy's chest and his arm draped over his waist. He had been trying to sleep for awhile, but rest was eluding him. It became evident that Teddy wasn't having any easier of a time sleeping when he broke the silence with his voice.

"They really like you, Nate."

Nate lets a small smile play across his face before replying to Teddy's statement.

"I wish I could have met them sooner, they're great people. You can tell they are really proud of you, Teds." Nate was referring to the numerous trophies and awards that still decorated his childhood bedroom. Something about the whole scene tonight, the family dinner, the closeness shared by Teddy and his parents, made Nate long for something that he didn't even realize he had been wanting.

"I want a family. I want...this."

Teddy is caught off gaurd by Nate's statement. He attempts to find his voice, and after a few failed starts, he does.

"I...what do you mean? You have a family, a close one from what you tell me."

Nate starts to trail his finger across Teddy's  chest, his head still resting there. He wasn't quite sure how to articulate to Teddy the desires of his heart, especially since he was just discovering that they were there.

"I mean...a family of my own. Children. I want to sit with my children at the dinner table and joke about hockey. I want to meet their friends and loved ones some day. I want my children to bring someone over and show off  how much I love them and how proud I am of them."

Teddy is at a loss for words. He's simultaneously struck by a feeling of joy that Nate would choose to reveal his soul to him, yet at the same time sadness over the fact that he could never provide Nate with what he wanted. Teddy chose to handle the situation the best way he knew how.

"Well, I don't really think I have those birthing hips..." Teddy lets out a small chuckle, hoping that Nate didn't notice the sadness permeating his voice.

"You know what I mean, Teds. There's always other ways...people do it all the time."

Teddy supposed that Nate did have a point. People do adopt all the time, but that didn't change the fact that there was something that Nate wanted and there was nothing that Teddy could do to fulfill his wish, not without seeking help from outside. Teddy didn't like the feeling of there being something that he couldn't do for Nate, something he couldn't provide. His thoughts are broken by Nate's voice coming out if the dark.

"I don't mean now, just...some day."

Teddy's heart warms a little and a smile crept onto his face as he started to envision him and Nate sitting at a dinner table, two or three kids flanking either side. He sees Nate tucking his children into bed at night, taking them to hockey practice during the day.

"You know what I wanted to be before I was  a hockey player? A teacher. I've always loved kids, and I've always imagined having a large brood," Teddy confessed.

"Sounds like a nice future, doesn't it?" Nate purrs while burrowing his face into Teddy's neck.

Teddy mumbled under his breath, purposefully making sure that Nate doesn't hear him. "Yes. I'm just sorry I can't be the one to give it to you."

 

                                                                                                     -X- 

 

If the sound of the shower running hadn't have woken Teddy up, then the insessant phone ringing surely  would have. Teddy slowly opened his eyes and started going through an internal struggle in his mind over which sound was more annoying, and which one he could immediately do something to stop.

"Nate?"

No answer. Teddy reached over to the other side of the impossibly small bed to discover it empty. He came to the realization that Nate must be in the shower, hence the sound of water hitting tile that was coming from the direction of the bathroom.

Teddy squinted his eyes aganist the dark, willing them to focus as he looked around the room for the clock displaying the time. His confusion grew as he failed to find the clock in it's usual spot, he then remembered that he wasn't home in Tampa, but visiting his parents in Newfoundland. In the back of his mind, Teddy was aware that the damn cell phone was still ringing, but he was far too tired to care. Whoever it was would have to call back later, if it was important enough, but Teddy guessed it probably wasn't. He was just about to lay his head back on the pillow and shut his eyes when the cell phone on the nightstand started to ring again.

"Who the hell is calling me at...6am?" Teddy mumbled to the dark, empty room. He slapped at the nightstand a few times, trying to locate the phone so he could answer it and finally put an end to the damn ringing.

"Hel-" Teddy started to answer, but sleep had left his voice horse and he had to clear his throat before continuing to speak. "Hello?"

A older woman's voice streamed into Teddy's ear from the other end of the line.

"Nathan Thompson...we need to chat. Why didn't you tell me I was going to be a grandmother?"

"Wha...?" Teddy croaked into the phone, trying to wrap his mind around what was going on, still unsure of what that was. Who was this woman calling his phone? And why was she calling him "Nathan"? The woman's voice broke through his sleep hazed thoughts.

"Cristin...she just called me and told me the good news."

Teddy ended the call and looked down at the phone in his hand as if it had just bit him. His brain was so dazed from sleep that it took Teddy a few seconds to realize that it wasn't his phone he was holding, but Nate's. The woman caller was no doubt Nate's mother, and she thought that her son was the one she was talking to.  Grandmother? Nate doesn't have any brothers or sisters and..Cristin..Cristin was Nate's ex-girlfriend, the same one that he had just gone to visit. Teddy slowly started to put the pieces together...Nate's mom was calling to ask him why he hadn't informed her of the fact that he was going to have a baby with his ex-girlfriend. This was something that Teddy would desperatly like to know the answer to himself...

 

                                                                                                   -X- 

 

Teddy sat on the edge of the bed, his heart pounding and his mind racing. His whole world had just been undone by a single phonecall, and he was powerless to do anything to change it. As he listened to the sounds of Nate pulling back the shower curtain, he tried to go over in his mind what he would say to him when he finally emerged from the bathroom.

The time spent waiting for Nate to step out of the bathroom were the longest two minutes of Teddy's life. He kept going over and over in his mind what had just happened, hoping that maybe he was still asleep and this whole thing had just been some terrible dream. Deep inside, he knew it wasn't. Maybe this was one of those horrible pranks that Teddy has heard so much about...one of his team mates had gotten his mom or girlfriend to call Nate's phone and prentend that he had gotten someone pregnant. The only problem with that theory was that Teddy knew no one on the team was even aware of Cristin's existence.

Teddy's stomach knotted when the door to the bathroom swung open and Nate stepped into the bedroom. He had chosen to dress in the bathroom, because while Teddy's parents had displayed an amazing amount of trust and acceptance by letting Nate sleep in the same room with their son, he didn't want to push it.

"Did I hear my phone ring, Teds?"

All of the words that Teddy had carefully planned out escaped his mind as soon as he saw Nate's face, and his emotions took over. He stood up from the edge of the bed and chucked Nate's phone towards him with force.

"Congrats, daddy. Look like you got your wish after all." While Teddy's words may have been only slightly malicious, his tone of voice betrayed the anguish he felt.

Nate caught the phone aganist his chest and stared at Teddy wide eyed and confused. "What are you talking about? Why are you so mad?"

Teddy's knees gave out suddenly and he plopped down onto the edge of the bed, sitting again. He didn't think he had the strength to stand. "That was your mom calling. She wanted to know why you didn't tell her about Cristin."

Now Nate was the one left feeling unable to stand. His stomach clenched and he stuttered a few times, trying to find his voice despite the thoughts running through his head.

"Oh-" Nate finally managed, casting his eyes down, shame burning in his chest.

"Oh? You cheated on me and all you can say is 'oh'?" Teddy's was fighting to keep his voice down as to not wake his parents, despite his overwhelming urge to throw everything in the room that wasn't nailed down.

"Wait...why were you calling me...that...you mean Cristin is...?" Nate couldn't even bring himself to finish his own question.

"Yeah. It looks like she gave you the one thing I never could."


End file.
